chimney structural inspection: WHO?

teracir · 15 May 2006

hi,

i have question for people who deal with property buying and selling. i am selling a property and the homebuyer survey has showen that the downstairs chimney has been removed but it is still in place on the first floor. i have been asked to get it checked to see if it is structually spported.

can someone please advice on how i go about doing this. i can either get a surveyor to have a look at it or a structual engineer. i don't understand what the difference is between the two and how would be more useful for my situation.

i think i have read elseware on the forum that i can get a structural engineer in and have the chimney inspected.

thanks for your help in advance

max

Static · 15 May 2006

In all honesty you can get a structural/building survey done by either a structural engineer or a chartered buildings surveyor. But if the surveyor comes across something unusual or out of the ordinary he will refer you to an engineer. If the engineer comes across something unusual he will either prove it works or fails and give you options to fix. (but the surveyor will probably be cheaper)

andywc · 15 Dec 2008

hi

i know that this is an old post... but the comments will still apply today if another has similar queries...

if a chimney has been removed and someones is questioning if it's been done properley... then i'd have thought that you need an engineer... all a surveyor is likely to be able to do is observe if there is something to support it... not whether the something is suitable or appropriate...

will the surveyor be cheaper? can we assume that? i don't know that we can say that...

in my opinion... if you've a structural query... see a chartered structural engineer [CEng MIStructE]... if you've a building condition/maintenance issue then you may find a chartered surveyor [RICS]

andywc CEng MIStructE

Shytalkz · 16 Dec 2008

Blimey a sudden influx of SEs to the site...two this week alone

andywc · 16 Dec 2008

hi Shytalkz

i've been helping out on the ebuild forum from time to time for some years now. there were a few cross postings and i discovered diynot... so i thought i'd help out here from time to time too...

i don't have much time because i'm so busy otherwise working for rivergate consultants... but when i've a few moments spare i often surf by and see what's going on and help when i'm able

regards

andywc CEng MIStructE

^woody^ · 16 Dec 2008

Well, its down hill from here on then

noseall · 16 Dec 2008

^woody^ said:
Well, its down hill from here on then

Shytalkz · 16 Dec 2008

Wonder what the collective noun is?

andywc · 16 Dec 2008

Shytalkz · 16 Dec 2008

Hey Andy, your rates are low....! (Good free plug that you got away with there, btw

)

Edited to add: collective noun for two or more SEs in one place....

noseall · 16 Dec 2008

the collective noun for bankers is a 'wunch'.

Shytalkz · 16 Dec 2008

Good page too. How long do you reckon that it will be before the self-certification system gets the go ahead in England and Wales though....?

andywc · 16 Dec 2008

hey guys....

collective noun... umm... a team?... a place for good advice?... too many words perhaps... chuckle

you say rivergate consultants' rates are low?? what do you guys charge then?

cheers

andywc

Shytalkz · 16 Dec 2008

£90/hr CEng
£65/hr IEng
£50/hr CAD monkey

2/3 for travelling and 55ppm.

Interestingly, my survey fees come out much the same as yours - so either you're slow or I'm fast

.

Good website though, much better than the bland offerings from some consultants. If one of your local competitors see your site, I think you might fall foul of the code of conduct on this page though by the inference re other consultants in the 3rd para up from the bottom

. I don't doubt what you say is true, but you know what the profession is like.....!

andywc · 16 Dec 2008

hi Shytalkz

i like your rates... right and proper for a professional practice Shytalkz!! good for you guys... where can i send my cv...

regrettaly most of the stuff we deal with at rivergate are small residential extensions or smaller developments. there are a number of other practices around charging similar or less [less often being the one man bands working from home] and so we've needed to adjust our rates accordingly.

for certain if rivergate went in for the projects we get offered at your rate, right and proper through they are, we'd be laughed at... i guess that's a function of the pool [read clients/projects/competitors] that rivergate swims in... really, where can i send my cv Shytalkz...

while i'd rather we didn't compete on price alone, but on quality of service... [or even on agreed scales or percentages like RIBA architects often seem to manage]... when a cash strapped client is looking to appoint an engineer... they're often not sure what we do, let alone why they need one... and they seem to choose on price alone... it's only later [usually too late] that they find out that the man charging £25 PH perhaps wasn't the right one after all...

and i guess those [and others who don't seem to take an active interest in the project beyond a few lines on the drawings] are the ones that the 3rd para from the bottom is aimed at.... but i take your point; i'll see what can be done to make it a bit more PC.

diynot

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chimney structural inspection: WHO?

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